Niall Quinn last night poured scorn on the current television cash crisis which threatens to decimate the domestic game.

Niall Quinn last night poured scorn on the current television cash crisis which threatens to decimate the domestic game.

But the Sunderland striker, who could start against title-chasing Arsenal this afternoon if Patrick Mboma fails to recover from a leg injury, knows he has more pressing matters, with the Black Cats just three points above the Premiership relegation zone.

Nonetheless, the Irishman still finds it hard to fathom that a third of all English clubs could be forced out of business by the collapse of ITV Digital.

He said: "It is obviously a big worry for a lot of clubs and it is a major threat. This should make everyone sit up and look at what is going on in football at the moment and how the industry is run.

"It is an amazing situation that television companies and football clubs are going into liquidation, yet football agents and agencies are turning into PLCs and floating on the stock exchange. To me that's the most frightening thing."

Quinn added that, with the Nationwide League in danger of financial meltdown, the need for Sunderland to stay in the Premiership was even greater after admitting the club had been dragged into the relegation scramble.

"All season it has been topsy-turvy and anything can still happen," he said. "We have to do ourselves justice and we have to stand up and be counted. It's a bit of a scramble at the moment and nobody is safe.

"It's tight at the top and it's tight at the bottom. From 12th right down to the bottom club Leicester there are people worried.

"It's been a very strange year and teams that you thought would have been well out of it, including ourselves, have been sucked into it.

"Then there are teams like Blackburn Rovers, who have pulled themselves up and who have been playing fantastically, while Bolton had an excellent win last week as well. I'm sure it's exciting for most people, but it isn't a situation we like to be in."

And, having enjoyed three successive seasons of sustained success, Quinn believes Sunderland must dig deep into their reserves and rebuild their confidence over the last seven games of the season.

He said: "We had it easy winning the Nationwide League and then the first two years in the Premiership and it hasn't been easy this year. With seven games left it is up to us to really show our character.

"We've always managed to keep our noses just ahead of the relegation positions and we have to make sure that continues to be the case. We do not think we are going to be relegated, but we haven't got the confidence of the last few years.

"There has been a nervousness and a lack of confidence in the team since Christmas and we have found it very hard to snap out of.

"I thought we had finally started our season when we won at Blackburn 3-0 on Boxing Day, but then we went down to Ipswich and put in a shocking performance.

"The consistency hasn't been there and it still isn't there. We just want to stay up and forget about this season."

A trip to face in-form Arsenal, who ripped Newcastle to shreds in the FA Cup last week, is not a game Quinn would have chosen to begin the relegation run-in with, but he refused to believe the Black Cats are destined to lose this afternoon.

He said: "Two back-to-back wins for any team down at the bottom will pull them out of it. We've got seven games left and, although you wouldn't choose a trip to Arsenal as the best way to start that run-in, we have to go down there believing we can get something. They have been in excellent form, but against Newcastle last week United had chances and that gives us heart. We have to stop them playing and hope things get a little bit better for us in front of goal.

"We can take heart from the fact we got a 2-2 draw at Highbury last year after being 2-0 down and Gavin McCann got an excellent goal. It's not beyond the bounds of reason that we can get something again."

Uncertainty has surrounded Pires' likely treatment in the wake of the serious injury he sustained at home to Newcastle last weekend.

Arsenal were initially told the French international would require immediate surgery, ruling him out for up to six months.

However, France national team doctor Jean-Marcel Ferret insisted earlier this week that there was a slim chance Pires could make the World Cup if the injury was allowed to heal through rest. Wenger disputed this theory but revealed that Pires would wait three weeks for the injury to settle down before making any decision on his treatment.

"We have decided to wait for three weeks and reassess him. Two things are for sure - he is out for the rest of the season and out of the World Cup," he said.

"Some say an early operation and others say wait two or three weeks to allow the tissue to settle down so the knee is less swollen. We don't want any conflict with France. What is important for us is Robert. He will have the final say."